UA: New Race Options, Eladrin and Gith

The Eladrin ability score adjustment needs to be: +2 Charisma, +1 any other.

Charisma and all of its connotations [charm, innate magic, bardic song, etcetera] is what best represents the Fey Elf concept.

Intelligence is an accident of D&D only having Wizard class in the beginning, but it has merit in folklore too.

Dexterity is irrelevant.

Maybe handsized sprites connote Dexterity, but humansized spirits of magic, less so.



Edit.

Elves can work better this way:

Wood Elf: +2 Dexterity
High Elf: +2 Intelligence
Eladrin Elf: +2 Charisma

That is what the Elf feels like.



Edit.

High Elf
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence (!)
Trance
Investigation skill proficiency
Languages: Elven, Sylvan, and Common
Cantrip
Elven Armor (permanent Mage Armor, appears as supple chain armor or as invisible force)
High Elf Weapon Training (longsword proficiency, treat as finesse weapon and spell focus)
(Darkvision too?)



Edit.

Eladrin are a group of elves that are native to the Fey Plane. They feel like a separate race of Elf with their own four subraces. The concept of the Eladrin evolves across the editions, and their association with the four seasons seems to enjoy traction. They consolidate well into four kinds of Eladrin, each one corresponding to a season.

Eladrin Elf
• Spring: +2 Charisma, +1 Dexterity (Ghael, Coure)
• Summer: +2 Charisma, +1 Strength (Firre, Bralani)
• Autumn: +2 Charisma, +1 Intelligence (Tulani)
• Winter: +2 Charisma, +1 Wisdom (Noviere, Shiere)

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Misty step is one and done (and takes a bonus action), and jump lasts for a while (and can be cast on other people), so I would see jump as something you are more likely to cast before combat starts and MS as something you cast if things start looking bad and misty step (bonus action) plus the dash action (or jump if you already cast jump) to maximize your retreat.

I think the Githyanki are built around the notion that the PC would be a Gish or as close as you can be with PC classes (possibly a Gish fighter subclass could come in a future book), and Eldritch Knight is pretty much as close as you can get. The EK isn't exactly overflowing with spell slots, so giving racial spells helps with that (and fills the Githyanki as TK users). Alternatively you could be a medium armor wearing Immortal Mystic (which is as close as you can get to a Gish psychically), and you don't have to take the Celerity discipline to be extra mobile.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I think the Githyanki are built around the notion that the PC would be a Gish ...

Apropos, that.

 

[Yaarel]

For a 5e Githyanki Gish, there are more nuanced mechanics to more carefully match the flavor.

If the 5e Gish is an actual ‘Fighter/Magic-User’, in other words an Eldritch Knight, then the arcane flavor prevails, and the psionic flavor feels extraneous.

It might be better to downplay or even eliminate psionic flavor for the Githyanki. Even necromantic flavor might be more appropriate because of the Githyanki lich queen.



With the Githzerai becoming mental ability monkish warriors, the psionic flavor fits well, Jedi-style.

 

[cbwjm]

The more I think about it, the more I think that the Eladrin should gain +1 Charisma instead of +1 Intelligence. Make them that charisma spellcasting stat specialist (even if it does only really affect it for 3 levels, then an ASI catches it right up). Eladrin in pre-4e tended to have high charisma instead of intelligence, even in 2e when the spellcasting stat for arcane magic was intelligence, the various eladrin would often have higher charisma. The previous version in the DMG I didn't really think about it, but this version seems to be closer to the classic notion of the Eladrin and I think Charisma might be a better fit for them. I find the associated fluff also inspires a bit of world building, I could have done this anyway but now I also have a mechanical reason for it.

The Four Eladrin courts: Lady of Autumn, Lord of Winter, Lady of Spring, Lord of Summer.
Their Servants: The Lord of Winter is served by the Prince of Frost, and the Lady of Sorrow. The Lady of Spring is served by Puck, an eladrin who typifies mischief and merriment. The Lord of Summer is served by the Shining Legion, knights known for their skill at arms. Who is the Lady of Autumn served by? I have no idea, this was all just off the top of my head.

I'm just really loving the change to Eladrin. I might even bring in the old names of Tulani, Ghaeles, Bralani, Novieres, and Shieres. The fact that it has got me thinking about world building means that, to me, this is a positive change to the elven subrace.

 

[Argyle King]

I'm looking forward to an Eladrin Warlock of Cthulu combining the changing seasons personality with insanity.

 

[Yaarel]

The Drow Elf is already +2 Dexterity +1 Charisma. It would be annoying if the Eladrin Elf is the same.

The Eladrin Elf that works best is +2 Charisma. A real enchanter, a real Bard, an archetypal mage.

 

[cbwjm]

A +1 or +2 doesn't really make much difference in the long run, often not even much when starting out, and I'd personally rather not change the current structure where the base elf race gives +2 dexterity. Besides, currently there are two elf subraces which grant a +1 intelligence so why not two for charisma instead.

 

[Yaarel]

Charisma +2 is the best way to design the Eladrin Elf of the Feywild.

Whether +2 or +1 makes enormous difference in the flavor of the race.

When it is appropriate to emphasize an other ability, it is appropriate. D&D tradition includes elf races without Dexterity.

Even D&D 5e already has elf races that are +2 Wisdom, for the Zendikar setting.

The Gith race demonstrates it is acceptable design for subraces to distinguish from each other by different +2 ability score improvements.

Personally, I am dissatisfied with the +2 Dexterity as the only trait for every elf concept and would be sickened to see an other elf with it. Dexterity may be gracefulness of fine movements.

Charisma is gracefulness of the spirit, art, charm, and beauty.

 

[Ninja-radish]

I love that there's finally a Strength/Int race. Very cool.

 

[The-Magic-Sword]

I would actually be very much in favor of Eladrin being Charisma only, which is weird since I liked them as intelligence just fine in 4e. I think it would have two major benefits

1. It would help to reduce the amount of overlap between the High Elf and the Eladrin, which is important if we're going to have both. Earlier in the thread someone was insisting that the seasonal cantrips is a direct upgrade to the high elf cantrip, I disagree due to the fact that I feel there are plenty of cantrips one would want outside of that set, however it does remain that it is extremely similar, so the stat change would help to give them unique, complementary niches.

2. It would offer the Dark Elf some competition for charisma-elf race, notably the dark elf is one of those races that it seems like some DMs might forbid you from playing for alignment reasons, or a player might prefer not to use it as a result of sunlight sensitivity. Having a charisma-elf without those hangups would be healthy for the game, I also think the Drow (when not in sunlight) is strong enough to be indisputably equal to the eladrin, whereas I feel as if the high elf might be more negatively impacted.

it also has a minor benefit of not breaking with the fact that the player's handbook races don't have a flex stat, which isn't hugely important (and i'm sure some people would prefer they all did) but might be a concern.